The Sweet 16 field is being filled. The women’s NCAA Tournament final games of the second round are underway on Monday.
MatchupTime (ET)TVNo. 8 Illinois vs. No. 1 Texas
No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 3 Oklahoma
No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 3 Maryland
No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 3 LSU
No. 6 West Virginia vs. No. 3 North Carolina
No. 10 South Dakota St. vs. No. 2 UConn
No. 9 Mississippi St. vs. No. 1 USC
Results
No. 2 NC State 83, No. 7 Michigan State 49
Wolfpack hold MSU to season-low points
In their Round of 32 matchup against Michigan State, second-seeded NC State didn’t want to replicate the rhythm of its win two days earlier.
Against No. 15 Vermont on Saturday, the Wolfpack led by just two at halftime. On Monday, against No. 7 Michigan State, they blitzed the Spartans in the first quarter, leading 27-9 after the opening period, and extended their lead to 24 by halftime.
NC State made 10 3-pointers in the first half, the most it has made in a single half this season, and held MSU to only 23 first-half points, its lowest of the year. Senior guard Aziaha James finished the Wolfpack’s 83-49 victory with 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting, while senior guard Saniya Rivers and graduate guard Madison Hayes added 17 points each. Hayes hit a season-high five 3-pointers, while Rivers added 11 assists.
NC State scored 23 fastbreak points but pulled away largely because of its 3-point shooting. The Wolfpack attempted 30 3-pointers in their blowout victory, 10 more than their season average, and they shot 50 percent from deep, which is well above their 32.5 percent average. Monday was only the third time this season they’ve shot 50 percent or better from deep.
One of the questions for NC State as it moves into its second consecutive Sweet 16, and fourth Sweet 16 in five seasons, is whether it can sustain that shooting clip against either LSU or Florida State. (Monday’s LSU vs. FSU game tips off at 6 p.m. (ET).) Rivers, James and guard Zoe Brooks broke down Michigan State’s defense throughout the win and found open shooters (or sometimes each other). NC State’s 18 assists tied its fourth-highest total this season.
If the ball doesn’t stick and the Wolfpack can convert in drive-and-kick situations, they can be especially dangerous. Against the Catamounts on Saturday, they hit just four 3s and had nine assists. Monday was a different story. Their test later this week will determine which performance was more of a blip.
— Ben Pickman
(Photo of Saniya Rivers: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
